Alleged Blasphemy: Pastor Attacked, Houses Burnt As Violence Erupts In Bauchi

Palpable tension has gripped residents of Bauchi state as fresh wave of violence broke out after angry youths went on rampage over alleged blasphemy.

This is coming a week after female student of Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto state, Deborah Samuel, was stoned to death and her body burnt over alleged blasphemy.

According to PUNCH, a pastor has allegedly been injured and many houses razed in the latest incident that occurred in the Katangan area of Warji Local Government Area of of the State.

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Details of the incident are still sketchy.

Trouble began when a message was allegedly circulated on social media that a Christian girl in the town allegedly engaged in blasphemy of Islam.

“Yes, the incident is true. It is an aftermath of the incident of the alleged blasphemy that happened in Sokoto last week.

“The situation there is more than tension since many houses have been burnt down. But no life that was lost, to the best of my knowledge.

“A shop which belongs to an ECWA Church in the area was also burnt down. And I learnt that the District Head of the area and the leaders are on top of the situation. The police have also been informed about it.” PUNCH quoted a source who’s familiar with the situation to have said.

Another source said, “We were at home this evening when we heard shouts from some muslim youths in their numbers who went on the rampage and besieged an ECWA Church in the area.

“But Christian youths and others resisted and repelled them but that was after they had burnt down a shop attached to the church. Many houses were burnt down by the rampaging youths.

“In the process, one of the pastors of the ECWA church was seriously wounded; as I speak to you now, efforts are on to save his life.”

One of the leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the state also confirmed the incident to journalists.

He said that the Commissioner of Police in the state and the Senior Special Assistant to the Bauchi State Governor on Christian Religious Affairs are aware.

He called on the Christian community in the state not to allow the situation to degenarate.